The present invention relates to a data card for use in a serial printer, and to a serial printer using such a card.
Attempts have recently been made to substantially improve the functions of an office or business printer so as to change typefaces and line spacings or to alter emulation and protocol by external means. However, such functions or specifications must be established or changed whenever such a printer is connected to different computers or different application software is employed. A known printer typically includes a multiplicity of changeover switches such as a dip switch. Those switches may be fixedly mounted to the rear side of the printer or within the printer. A specialist or a user must operate such switches to change its functions whenever a different computer or software is used.
The use of dip switches requires a corresponding number of inlet ports in a control circuit. This complicates the structure of a printer. A circuit pattern for a dip switch may have an effect on the design of a control circuit board and requires a larger circuit board. Due to limited space, the dip switches have to be very small, but this adversely affects the operability of the changeover switches. In fact, a user must depend on a manual of a serial printer whenever he is unable to understand which switches are related to which functions. The dip switches are relatively expensive in light of their functions, thereby increasing the cost of the serial printer.